278 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [bOOK VH 



extreme and contrary motions ; and the reason seems to be, 

 that they give themselves up to a private life, free from dis- 

 quiet and subjection to others; whereas men should rather 

 imitate the prudence of a lapidary, who, finding a speck or 

 a cloud in a diamond, that may be ground out without too 

 much waste, takes it away, or otherwise leaves it untouched ; 

 and so the serenity of the mind is to be consulted without 

 impairing its greatness. And thus much for the doctrine of 

 self-good. 



The good of communion, which regards society, usually 

 goes by the name of duty, a word that seems more properly 

 used of a mind well disposed towards others ; whilst the term 

 virtue is used of a mind well formed and composed within 

 . /itself. Duty, indeed, seems at first to be of political consi- 

 y deration; but if thoroughly weighed, it truly relates to the 

 A^rule and government of one's self, not others. And as in 

 architecture it is one thing to fashion the pillars, rafters, and 

 other parts of the building, and prepare them for the work, 

 and another to fit and join them together, so the doctrine 

 of uniting mankind in society differs from that which ren- 

 ders them conformable and well aiFected to the benefits of 

 society. 



This part concerning duties is likewise divided into two, 

 — ^the one treating of the duties of man in common, and the 

 other of respective duties, according to the profession, voca- 

 tion, state, person, and degree of particulars.^ The first of 

 these, we before observed, has been sufficiently cultivated 

 and explained by the ancient and later writers. The other 

 also has been touched here and there, though not digested 

 and reduced into any body of science.^ We do not, however, 

 except to its being treated piecemeal, as judging it the best 

 way to write upon this subject in separate parts; for who 

 ^Jwill pretend he can justly discourse and define upon the 

 / peculiar and relative duties of all orders and conditions of 



'' For the modem writers in this "^ay. see Morhof 's " Polyhistor," torn. 



iii. lib. i. "De Philosophise moralis Scriptoribus ; " and " StoUii Intro- 



() ductio in Historiam Literariam, de Philosophia generatim niorali ; " in 



Pparticular, consult PufFendorf, ** De Officio Hominis and Civis." Shaio. 



^ This appears to be attempted by Grotius, in his book " De Jure Belli 



ac Pacis ;" and by PufFendorf, in his " De Jure Naturae et Gentium." 



See M. Barbeyrac's transl^tiou of the latter into French, with ?innQt3r 



tiona. Sh^m, ' 



